If you’ve got kids, a rainy Sunday afternoon can be a nightmare! But if you’ve been bitten by the money saving bug there’s loads of things you can do together to keep yourselves happy and entertained. One fun project is to make your own money box. You can make one each or create a family money box to stash your savings in. Use ‘found objects’ from around the house, garden, garage, or shed. Or take a trip to your local pound shop for the basics and creative supplies. Then go for it!

Here’s two ideas to get you going.

  1. make a papier mache piggy bank. Blow up a large balloon. Tear newspapers into thin strips. Make up some wallpaper paste and carefully cover the balloon with papier mache – the thicker the better – leaving the end you blow through free. Go for at least a centimetre thickness. It’ll take a few days to dry but when it does, pop the balloon and pull it through the hole. Use segments of cardboard egg box for the nose and legs – glue them on then cover the seams with more strips of papier mache. Cut a slot for your cash in the top using a stanley knife or scalpel, add felt ears and a tail, paint and decorate him and finish off with a few coats of varnish. 
  2. glass money boxes: if you want to actually see how much you’ve saved create a money box from an old glass fish bowl or one of those massive green glass bottles you often see in charity shops for a few quid. You can decorate glass using Tulip craft paints and glitter glue. Or glue on images cut from magazines to create a collage. PVA is best because it dries clear and also acts as waterproofing. Glue on plastic jewels with UHU glue, create swirls by glueing on coloured threads and wools… just enjoy yourselves!

Celebrate your creative exploits with our Pizza Express discount codes… and don’t forget to put the cash you’ve saved in your new piggy bank or money box!